Fix You
by Trinkett
Summary: After a horrible accident, Jace and Clary come to terms with what matters most. JxC Mortal Instruments.
1. Chapter 1

**So…I'm a definite Clary/Jace shipper. And I really don't care if they end up really being related- even though I'm pretty positive there is going to be some type of twist in the third book that they aren't brother and sister. Anyways…enjoy and review!**

**If this gets a decent response I'll write more :-)**

**PS: I don't own the mortal instruments. **

**FIX YOU: Chapter One**

"Come on Clary, pick up!" Jace all but growled into the tiny silver phone. His frustration only increased with each ring, and with the sound of her voice, chiming the familiar message of her answering machine.

"_Hey, this is Clary…I'm not here right now but if you leave a…"_

"_Hey Clary, have you seen my converse? I think I-"_

"_Yeah Simon- under the couch. Um, well just leave me a message. Bye."_

He had called her five other times, hell- he had even tried calling the _mundane_ to see if he knew where she was- and each time she hadn't picked up. He threw the phone against the wall, feeling a little satisfaction as the screen cracked in two, and buried his head in his hands.

There were very few times when he had felt truly helpless, and this was one of them.

Only a few minutes earlier he had received Clary's call.

He remembered stepping out from the shower, his muscles still tense from a long day of training, the cloud of steam slightly obscuring his vision, and picking up the phone only to hear her panicked voice,

"_Jace! Help please! I'm-"_

Then the line went dead. He had no idea where she was, what was happening, but she so small, so delicate- even a mere human would pose a serious threat, much less a demon. Now he was alone at the institute, with no idea of what to do, but a rising sense of anxiety.

With his head buried beneath his palms, his heart threatening to pound straight out of his chest, he struggled to think of where she could possibly be. She was _Clary_, the tiny redhead with glowing eyes and a fiery temper, his little sister, and the only girl that he had ever loved, even when he didn't think he was capable of love. If anything happened to her he would never forgive himself.

Just as he was about to run out and blindly search for her, he remembered that she had been talking with Isabelle earlier that very day. Saying something about a club- god what was it called? Some type of color, very girly sounding…Pink? Rose? No it started with a B...

Suddenly something clicked and he knew where she was. He grabbed a black shirt and his belt, the one with three angel blades and a seraph sword, and rushed out to the roof where his bike was stored away. It took less than a second to start, and he barely noticed the cold night air whipping past his face. There was only room for one thing in his mind, and that was Clary.

The East river glittered like black ice, the towering buildings casting shadows of light against its rippled surface. He soared clear past the bridge, far above the crowded streets, finally alighting at a large building. A long line stretched around the corner, its occupants scantily clad in glittering minidresses and jewel bright shirts, the men shifting anxiously, smoothing back their overly gelled hair.

He had no taste for places like this, and as he spotted the neon pink sign with the club's name, _Blush_, his dislike only intensified. Parking the bike on the roof, he scaled the brick wall, landing in a back alley behind the club. Without a second thought he rammed through the back door, barely noticing the sharp pain that shot through his shoulder.

She was there. Pinned against a wall, her pale skin covered in bruises and scrapes. At first he thought that it was a man, a filthy mundane trying to _touch_ her, _his_ Clary, and blood boiled beneath his skin. Then he saw that it was not a human, but a red haired demon, his claws wrapped vice-like around her neck.

With a catlike leap he sprung towards the demon, pulling him away from Clary and slicing it cleanly in two with his sword. Black blood covered him, but he barely noticed. Clary was still against the wall, slumped on the floor and not moving.

After three hours of preparation, no torture, being all but tied up with rope as Isabelle fixed her hair and makeup, then insisted that she squeeze into an impossibly tight dress, Clary stood in front of the mirror unsure if she really was the person reflected in its smooth surface.

Armed with a plethora of products and a straightening iron, her normally curly, almost frizzy red hair had been tamed. It hung smoothly past her bare shoulders, gleaming in the dim lamplight. The makeup was minimal, her charcoal rimmed eyes shining greener than normal, and she actually liked the dress that Isabelle had picked out. It was a violet color, strapless, with dark grey tights and dangerous-looking high heels. A light necklace with tiny golden bells hung about her neck, chiming softly with each of her movements.

"The cab is here, hurry up!" Isabelle shouted loudly. Clary grabbed her purse and rushed outside where Isabelle was already waiting.

As normal she was impossibly beautiful, sparking with the kind of glamour that exuded confidence and made Clary feel like a child. While everything about Jace reminded her of the sun- his bright hair, pale gold skin and tawny eyes- Isabelle was like a goddess of the moon. Her Inky black hair was long and slightly curled and her pale skin shone almost silver in the dim light. She was even wearing a silver dress, made from some type of silky material, and knee high leather boots.

She nearly tripped a dozen times on the way down the sidewalk, then clumsily climbed into the waiting cab. There was some club that Isabelle had decided to drag her to, insisting that they needed a girl's night out.

While she wasn't exactly warm towards her, she understood that even Isabelle needed to escape from the testosterone laden institute, and that she enjoyed having another girl her age as her personal life-size Barbie doll.

They made their way into Blush without a second's wait, and Clary almost felt bad as Isabelle stunned the bouncer, leaving him nearly speechless. Inside the club was flooded with columns of smoke and the pounding beat of music. Throngs of people seemed to vibrate beneath the lights, beads of slick perspiration sparkling against their skin.

She felt a little nervous with the fake ID. While the added makeup made Isabelle appear years older than her actual age, Clary felt like a little girl that had snuck into her mother's makeup drawer. She was shocked as they accepted the card without question, passing each of them a glass sickeningly sweet, pink tinted liquid that burned her throat.

Isabelle wasted no time making her way to the dance floor, and was already moving with an impossible grace. More than a few men were watching her with clouded eyes, obviously intimidated but entranced by her beauty, when a very drunk couple bumped against Clary, spilling her drink on the edge of her dress.

"Sorry love, didn't see you there…" the man slurred, smoothing back his oily black hair. His date only clutched his arm and giggled as they made their way past her.

She _really_ didn't like places like this- it was the type of club that was impossibly tacky and bright, and she struggled to make her way through the crowd, looking for a bathroom. She finally found a black door against the far wall and made her way into a dark room.

This obviously wasn't a bathroom. She turned to open the door but it was locked, and next to a pile of dusty boxes there was a demon, crouched over a dead girl and covered in shining blood.

Her heart almost pounded out of her chest. She didn't have any weapons on her. She didn't even have her steele. And Isabelle hadn't brought her phone. She ducked behind a mountain of electrical wires, fumbling nervously as she pulled out the tiny silver device and pressed dial for the last number she had called, knowing he was the only one that could help her.

"_Jace! Help please! I'm-"_

At that moment the demon swung at her, sending the phone flying into the brick wall with a crash.

"Well what do we have here? Two in one night…my, my… this _is_ a treat." The demon hissed in pleasure, his lips curling upwards to reveal a row of sharp teeth.

As if it was instinct, she remembered her hours of shadowhunter training with Jace, and her leg swung out, knocking the demon off its feet. She leapt past him, stumbling as her foot tangled in one of the wires, and tried to sprint towards the door, but the demon recovered quickly, tackling her to the ground.

"Just for that, I'll make sure that this is slow-" he growled, raking his claws across her shoulder, and a scream escaped her lips, "- and painful." He finished, smiling cruelly.

She heard a loud crack and pain shot through her leg as she was flung against the door, but it wasn't over. She felt his talons ripping through her skin and she smelled the sharp tang of blood.

Tired of playing, the demon pulled her up against the wall, its claws wrapped around her neck. She struggled to breathe and its grip only tightened, choking her violently. There was no air, no light. Her eyes were squeezed shut in pain, and there was a shadow creeping at the edge of her mind, turning everything dark.

She was dying. Really dying. And no one could hear her scream. No one would save her. Even Jace wouldn't be able to help her- he had no idea where she was.

She didn't think about the pain. Instead her mind filled with thoughts: worries that she had never said goodbye to her mother, pain that she would never see Simon again, and most of all she felt the sharp pain of regret.

Regret that she had never told _him_ what she really wanted. That she loved him. That she didn't care what anyone thought and she needed him- more than water or even air she couldn't live without _him_.

With these last thoughts everything grew dark. There was a tiny pinprick of light, growing steadily larger, and then she knew.

The pain had disappeared and there was the most wonderful noise- it was _him_- an angel, crying out her name, and she knew for sure that she was dead.

**Please Review! XOXOXO**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow. Just…wow. Thank you so much for all the fantastic reviews! So anyways…new chapter! **

**FIX YOU: Chapter Two**

"Clary! _Clary_! Oh, no, _no_. Please wake up!" He cried, cradling her limp body against his chest. He drew out his steele and drew a healing rune against her skin, the black swirling lines of the mark contrasting sharply with her paper white skin.

Over and over again, he continued to press the steele into the design, pushing away the nagging voice at the edge of his mind:

_There are some things that can't be fixed. Not even by magic._

"Shut up, shut up! She'll be okay…She _has_ to be okay! Clary, please, _please_ wake up!" he shouted fiercely, pain seeping into his voice.

She was too pale, too still. He pressed his ear against her chest, nearly shouting with relief as he heard the faint beat of her heart. It wasn't too late.

He stood up, holding her carefully in his arms, and slid out the door. Willing himself to fly, like before, he jumped up to the roof in one graceful leap and found his motorcycle. Using one hand to hold her against his chest, and one arm to steer, he headed back to the institute.

When he laid her down on the table he couldn't help but growl in fury.

Her skin was mottled with dark bruises and blood, a dark shadow forming around her neck. She had lost a lot of blood, and he could tell from the strange angle of her leg that it had been badly broken. Worst of all there was the tell-tale tinge of venom.

He prepared everything, cursing that the Lightwoods were all away, and prayed to the god that he didn't believe in, that Clary would be okay.

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Clary could feel the light behind her eyelids, bright and strong, and every inch of her body was sore.

"_Jace, come on. You've been here for days- at least eat something." _

"_I'm not hungry."_

Jace was _here_. And so was Isabelle…had they died too?

"_Stop being an ass. She said she was sorry and there's no use beating yourself up about this."_ Alec's voice nearly growled.

She snapped her eyes open and winced as the sunlight burned her retinas. They adjusted to the light, revealing the rough stone walls of the institute and filling her with a sense of déjà vu. She remembered that she had been in this room before- long ago. Back when she had first learned that she had shadowhunter blood…

"Clary?"

She turned her head towards the beautiful voice, and winced in pain. Was heaven supposed to be painful?

_He_ was here, so it couldn't be hell.

"Stay still." Jace said calmly, hovering above her. The light glinted off his curly hair, and dark shadows rimmed his tawny golden eyes.

"Why…does it hurt?" she gasped. He looked at her with confusion, then sadness and anger.

"You were attacked, and nearly killed." He whispered, his normally guarded voice laced with obvious pain.

Her head swirled, and without thinking she nearly shouted, "I'm alive?!"

At this he only looked more confused. Like a puzzle, the pieces started to fit together and she blushed.

"Sorry, I figured that I was dead…" she mused, her cheeks suddenly burning with embarrassment.

At this his face twisted, as if he was struggling not to laugh or cry, she wasn't sure which, and his lips turned upwards in a small smile.

"No Clary. You're still here." He said softly, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, Clary!" Isabelle rushed over to the table, her eyes clouded with tears. "I'm so sorry! Don't ever scare us like that again!" she cried.

"I don't plan on it." Clary sighed.

"Good." Alec said with an unusual amount of warmth. "We were worried you wouldn't wake up."

She smiled, thinking about how at another time, back when he wasn't with Magnus, he probably would have shouted at her for making Jace worry.

"I'll make you something to eat!" Isabelle shouted cheerfully, ignoring her look of terror, and glided out of the room towards the kitchens.

"Take-out from Taki's?" Alec said conspirationally, and Jace nodded. "I don't know about solid food…is a smoothie okay?"

Clary nodded thankfully. "Yeah. Can you get the one with strawberries?"

"Sure thing." Alec replied, running swiftly from the room.

With only herself and Jace, the room suddenly felt very small.

"Are you okay?" he whispered, breaking the awkward silence.

"Never better." She grinned, trying to lighten the situation, but he grimaced as she tried to sit up and couldn't suppress a groan of pain.

He slid his slim hands beneath her, adding an extra pillow for support.

"You really should take it easy. Even with the healing runes, it will be at least a day before you can walk."

"Okay."

They were silent for a moment, before Jace spoke.

"I thought I wouldn't find you." He whispered. "I almost lost you, and it was…horrible."

She noticed the moment of indecision in his eyes before he placed his hand against her cheek, and leaned closer, so close that she could feel his warm breath against her skin.

"I won't lose you again."

His lips brushed against hers, and she responded eagerly. It was gentle and soft, a kiss filled more with love than instinctual passion, but it wasn't enough. She had _pined_ for this moment, _dreamed_ of it nearly every night since they had spoken at Takis, and she strained against him. It became fierce, filled with the passion they had so futilely tried to suppress. It was sweeter than honey, softer than silk. Her skin tingled with electricity and she could feel her heart pulsing violently in her chest.

Then he pulled away quickly, a wild look in his eyes, and she heard Isabelle's heels clicking against the cold stone floor, then the door creaking as it opened.

"Hey Clary, do you want spaghetti Bolognese or London Broil?" Izzy asked, brandishing a giant wooden spoon.

"Alec is grabbing something from Taki's." Jace replied smoothly, and she left the room with a huff. Clary could hear her muttering something angrily even after she left the room.

For once she wasn't blushing. She didn't feel awkward or embarrassed- just slightly angry. She didn't care if they got caught, all she cared about was Jace, and how the distance between herself and the wall where he stood was far too long.

Apparently he agreed, because he walked over to her in three quick strides the moment Isabelle left.

"I don't care if they know." Clary whispered as he leaned closer to her, so close that she could feel his warm breath against her cheek.

He dipped his head lower, tracing his lips across her jaw. It was heavenly, and after a moment she heard his warm voice.

"Are you sure?"

"Y-yes." She answered shakily, curling her fingers in his hair as he placed light butterfly kisses along the line of her collarbone. At her answer he stopped, and pulled himself into a sitting position next to her on the bed. His head hung low, his tangled curls falling across his face. She knew him well enough to know he was thinking, and when he raised his normally guarded eyes to look at her, she was slightly shocked by the amount of emotion they revealed.

"Clary," he said softly, "I don't care either- but I think we should keep this hidden. It's not that I don't believe you, its just- well it's something that we can't take back. We should wait a while…until were both absolutely sure that we want them to know."

She could have laughed. Jace, the one who was normally bold and impulsive, was taking the cautious route. She knew that it didn't matter, she was just happy to be alive, and even happier to have _him_.

"Okay." She whispered in response. He smiled, wrapping his arms around her. It was perfect. Calm. Just her and Jace, reveling in their closeness, and before long her eyelids grew heavy and she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

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**So…Please REVIEW!**

**I have a plot line already written up…but not the next chapter. I'll try to post it soon though!**

**XOXOXOXO**


	3. Chapter 3

**So… I'm sorry this is so short! I need to organize my thoughts a bit before I write, the next chapter, but I promise it will be longer!**

**FIX YOU: Chapter Three**

It was nearly three when Jace woke up. The moon cast a silvery shadow across the room and he could feel Clary breathing, her small frame pressed against his chest. Her hair spiraled out of control and she smelled amazing- like sunshine, and apples, and jars of fresh paint. It was comforting, homey even.

Then again, Clary _was_ his home. She was the only connection he had ever really had to his past, even if that past was one he couldn't remember. Even if it was a past he wanted to forget.

He shifted slightly and let out a sigh. He hadn't been completely honest with Clary earlier.

_Well I didn't want to scare her…I was protecting her. _He argued silently.

He brushed back a stray curl, revealing a dark bruise at her temple. He scowled openly at the sight: it was flushed purple and black, but there was a strange tint of green and orange- signs of venom. It wasn't something that himself, or any of the Lightwoods would be able to heal. He had even tried asking Magnus, but the sparkly warlock hadn't known what to do either. He had watched as Magnus healed most of the other injuries, sending rays of violet and golden light throughout the room, but this was a serious wound.

He had seen it before, with a friend of his father's- no, a friend of _Valentine's_- that had been attacked. The old man, a veteran shadowhunter, was so heavily covered in marks that it had been difficult to spot the wound. It was the same shade, the same size and shape. Three days later, he had fallen unconscious, and a week after he had passed away.

She is younger though, stronger… he reasoned. It would be enough to give them a couple extra weeks. He had already made arrangements to travel to Idris. If anyone had a cure, they would, and despite the fact that he knew what they would do, he couldn't risk losing her completely.

One year? Three? Who knew how long they would ask for her to stay, creating new runes and fighting for them after she was healed. It was the price they would have to pay for her life.

Mirthless laughter nearly bubbled past his lips. Fate must have been in a particularly bad mood when it came up with this: he was going to finally have her and he was going to lose her, all in the same week.

_But before this, I would have given anything for just one day_… he thought to himself, tracing the thin line of her jaw with his lips.

She may have looked frail, with her tiny stature and thin frame. Her skin was so pale that he could see the blood, pulsing close at the surface. But he _knew_ that she wasn't what she seemed. She shivered slightly and he pulled her close to him, feeling the strong rhythm of her heart.

Always stubborn, and tenacious, and full of caring, she had the strongest heart he had ever seen. He could only hope that it was strong enough to give him time to find a cure.

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

**So…Sorry about the wait :'( I've been pretty busy with schoolwork, getting ready for thanksgiving, etc. **

**Anyways I'll try to get another post up sometime this week, this is just some filler and fluff…Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! And now, without further ado…**

**FIX YOU: Chapter Four**

It was nearly three when Clary woke up. She rolled over with a bright smile, expecting to find Jace, only to realize that the other side of the bed was empty and cold.

"You're finally up!"

Clary winced, already in a sour mood. It was bad enough that Isabelle was shouting, but why did she have to be so damn cheery?

"You know, you don't have to act like that around me." Clary replied, trying her hardest not to sound mean.

Isabelle placed a thin silver tray, something that looked very old and probably very expensive, loaded with what looked like crepes and a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice.

"What do you mean?" Isabelle asked too innocently, busying herself with fluffing Clary's pillows.

Clary rubbed her temple, slightly frustrated. She might not have always been able to read Jace, who was a far more experienced actor than anyone she knew, but she could tell when Isabelle was hiding something. She noticed how when she spoke, the tone was light and airy but there was a slight rigidity in her jaw line and a tenseness at the corners of her mouth.

"You've been acting like I'm…I don't know, _fragile_. Like I'm some piece of china you need to tiptoe around or I might break. I'm perfectly fine." Clary sighed, glancing up to read Isabelle's reaction.

"You're still on bed rest Clary," Isabelle sighed, adopting a slightly motherly tone, "You're still not completely better. I need to take care of something but you can just, well actually, I guess just call me if you need anything." She said before leaving the room. Her tone was normal, calm and composed, but there was a strange look on her face, the same kind of fake cheeriness in her half hearted smile. At first Clary was a little worried that she had hurt Izzy's feelings, as impossible as that seemed.

No this was something different. Isabelle just wasn't the kind of person who took personal offense. She was the kind of person that didn't find or accept faults with herself. It was almost as if Izzy had seemed… _scared_.

She spent a few minutes mulling over these thoughts, unable to come to any reasonable conclusions. Thinking about what had happened didn't make sense- it only made her dizzy and after a while she decided to push away the thoughts and reached for the glass of orange juice.

She took a few sips, grimacing a bit at the acidic taste. The juice burned her throat, but at least the crepes were safe- she could tell that they were from Taki's, reheated at the Institute and topped with store bought whipped cream and strawberries.

She raised her arm to put the glass back on the dresser, but somehow her arm started trembling. As her hand lost control it slipped and she heard the soft tinkling of broken glass. For a few moments she was too shocked to move. What was _that_?

She held her arm out straight, waving it around a bit. When it didn't shake or tremble at the movements, she tugged at the sleeve of her pajamas. She inched the silky fabric up her arm, rolling it tightly in place. The skin was smooth and pale, just as it always was, marred only by a few spidery-thin lines. The healing scars were spread out like a web, the marks so faint that they were barely noticeable, but there was a point just near the crook of her elbow that looked a bit off.

It was like a bruise, purple and black, but there was something strange about it…

She strained her eyes and noticed that it wasn't normal looking. There was a faint tinge of green and orange to it, unusually bright hues that she'd never seen before.

She frowned a bit, not sure what to make of the mark, but before she had time to contemplate what she had noticed she heard the familiar noise of light footsteps.

_Jace._

She knew it was him before he came into sight, and quickly rolled down her sleeve, snuggling against her pillow and feigning sleep.

The footsteps grew louder, tapping lightly against the stone floor. Finally she heard the creak of the wooden door. She could tell that he was standing over her now, watching as she tried to keep her face smooth and relaxed, even as she felt a feather light kiss pressed against her temple. She could feel his breath against her cheek, leaning so close…

"I know you're awake." He whispered against her ear and her eyes snapped open. She could tell her face was probably scrunched up, halfway between a grimace and a smile. "How could you tell?" she asked impatiently, sneaking a glance at his face. His hair was even messier than normal, and his golden eyes lit up with laughter. He was smiling, but one corner was tilted upwards in a smirk.

He slid halfway onto the bed, leaning against the headboard but dangling his boots off of the side, away from the sheets. "Usually you snore when you're asleep." He drawled casually, sliding his arms behind his head.

"I do_ not_!" she hissed, blushing furiously.

"I'm _joking_." He drawled, rolling his eyes. "But for future reference, you don't look nearly as tense when you're asleep."

Clary poked him in the ribs with her elbow, satisfied when he groaned in pain.

"What? It's true!" he insisted.

She tried to scowl, but it didn't last long. Instead her face twisted and she started laughing. She couldn't help it. She nearly doubled over, finally laughing to the point where she clutched her chest and it actually hurt.

"Completely insane…" she heard Jace mumble, and even though she didn't see it, she knew he was smiling too.

**OKAY…**

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	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the lovely reviews! And thank you to the people that have put this story on their favorites/story alert lists- it really does mean a lot to me!**

**AND HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING, eat some turkey (or tofurkey, cranberries, whatever) and have fun! **

**Oh btw I'm not the owner of Jace, Clary, or anything Mortal Instruments related…duh.**

**FIX YOU: Chapter Five**

**JACE'S POV:**

_Just do it. Tell her now. _One side of his mind thought, making him tense with anticipation. His lips parted, he was ready to tell her…

_No, don't. Don't tell her you idiot- it'll just make her worry. _Another side of his mind chimed in, effectively silencing him for the moment. He pressed his lips tight together in a scowl, continuing the argument in his head.

_Well how else can you explain it? "Hey Clary, we're going on a little vacation to Idris for a couple weeks…for absolutely no reason. Oh, and you might feel dizzy and sick like you're going to pass out…"_

_That's it. _He thought, steeling himself to tell her. She was propped up, sitting against the headboard with her familiar sketchpad and a pack of pencils and charcoal. He could barely make out the outline of a figure, standing backwards at the edge of a building. When she had sufficiently shaded the picture and formed a background, she pulled out a pen, swirling lines of thin gold ink across the page. The intricate designs shimmered faintly, reflecting the thick beams of sunlight that filtered across the room.

It was oddly calming, watching her draw, he thought to himself, leaning on one arm to see her better. Her hair was a frizzy mess, glowing coppery and gold, and a smudge of charcoal had somehow ended up on her nose. As if it was a natural instinct, he reached across and cleaned the spot off of her pale skin.

She must have been really absorbed in her work, because she stiffened a bit in surprise before looking at him, raising a hand to her face and biting the corner of her lip.

"Sorry. I'm being boring." She whispered, her lips turned downward in a frown.

"You're anything but boring." He replied seriously, narrowing his eyes. "Plus there really isn't much to do when you're confined to a bed and can't move." He added, grimacing a bit at the thought. He knew that if he was in her position he would have easily gone insane.

Clary didn't say anything, she just nodded in response. There was a tense silence for a moment, and Jace struggled to move, knowing he needed to tell her about the venom.

"Clary?" he said softly, trying not to scare her. "There's something I need to tell you."

He glanced at her, but she just looked at him attentively. He took that as a sign to continue, but it was more difficult than he could have imagined. Just the way she _looked_ at him- her wide eyes full of nothing but trust and curiosity.

And here he was, about to tell her something horrible, knowing fully that his words would only cause her pain.

He had been taught by his father to avoid emotions like these. To approach, no- to _attack_, situations calmly and rationally. He knew that it had made sense at the time: emotions only hindered action, feelings only distorted focus, and love was nothing but a distraction. When he had only been concerned with fighting and becoming a shadowhunter that type of logic had always made sense. But now, he understood that the true danger of caring for someone was the threat of losing them.

_Coward_, he hissed internally at himself. _If you really loved her you would be strong enough to tell her. She deserves to know._

"I-" he choked out trying to find the words. Damnit- why hadn't he thought of how he would tell her beforehand? This wasn't the kind of news you broke to someone on the spot.

_Stay calm, stay collected. Steel yourself against emotions- it'll only frighten her._

He took a deep breath before talking, trying to organize his thoughts in a rational manner."First," he said gently rolling up her sleeve, "This spot still has venom. Magnus wasn't able to remove it, and the Lightwood's haven't a clue…"

"Wait so I'm poisoned?" Clary whispered. He wished that he hadn't looked at her at that moment- she looked terrified and shocked.

"Not exactly," he spoke slowly, choosing each word with careful deliberation. "I've seen this before, with an older shadowhunter that was bitten. We should be able to find a cure-"

So he was sugarcoating the situation- he couldn't bring himself to tell her all the gritty details. _Not yet_.

"What do you mean _should_?" Clary interrupted, her green eyes wide with shock.

Jace was silent. Usually quick to come up with a lie or witty retort, his mouth suddenly felt very dry.

He looked down at his hands, unable to look at Clary, but he felt her scoot over, leaning against him.

"Jace…What happened to the other shadowhunter?" she asked very quietly.

This was too much. _Too much_. He could hardly think of it himself…

"_Please_ Jace… I need to know!" she pleaded, placing her small cold hand against his cheek.

"He died." Jace whispered, his voice cracked and strangled. "It killed him, and-and I _can't _let that happen. Not with you- not _now_." He looked at her evenly as he spoke. Her pupils were dilated with fear, then replaced with a glossy sheen of tears. He resumed staring at his hands, suddenly unable to control his ragged breathing.

"_No…_" he heard Clary breath, her tone unbelieving.

He felt her arms slip around his neck, pulling the both of them close together. Now they both knew the truth. They were drowning in it, clutching onto one another for support. He pulled her tighter against himself just to reassure himself that she was still with him. "What do we do now?" he heard her whisper into his shirt.

_Anything. Everything. _

"We fight it."

**CLARY'S POV:**

It just didn't make sense. _They had all been telling me I was getting better- that things would be back to normal in a few days. _

But Jace wasn't lying. He had no reason to say those horrible things if they weren't true, and as he explained everything his carefully composed mask was replaced with genuine pain. It was the face of someone constantly tortured, revealed openly now, but painstakingly hidden for too long.

It wasn't right. All these things they had been through together…

"_No…_" she breathed, not wanting to accept the truth, but knowing that she had to. As if it was a natural instinct, Clary slipped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. She could feel the hot tears rimming her eyes, stubbornly refusing to fall.

"_What do we do now?_" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

But Jace had heard her, and she was surprised to hear a response: "We fight it."

His voice was still shaky, but there was conviction behind his statement.

"I've made arrangements for us to travel to Idris. They have healers there- some more powerful even than Magnus. If we leave tomorrow that will give us some time…" he continued, listing off things they would need to bring and details of how they would leave.

"Alec won't be able to come with us- he needs to stay and help with the Institute, just in case something should happen- but Isabelle wants to come, and Simon will be coming over soon…"

Wait- Isabelle knew? That must have been why she was acting so strange…

"…and I have a few contacts, people that owe us a few favors." He finished, nearly out of breath from the nonstop explanations.

She couldn't help but feel afraid- not so much of dying, but of never seeing him again. Of never seeing Isabelle or Simon or her mother (if she ever woke up).

"Look- Jace…If this doesn't work-"

"It will work." He nearly growled.

She shook her head in frustration. "But there's a chance that it might not. I wish it wasn't this way, but we need to realize that there's a chance it won't. We just need to be prepared for the worst." She said quickly before he could cut her off.

"Just in case there's something-"

"We are _not_ discussing this." He shot back, his voice cold.

"Well-"

"_No_."

Before she could say anything else he kissed her, a little harder and with more of an edge than normal.

She wanted to scream in frustration. Did he really think she _wanted_ to talk about this?

_This isn't over _she thought, ready to tell him, when suddenly the doorbell to the institute rang, followed by a clanging door and a familiar voice.

"Hello? Is anyone home_?"_

_Simon._

**So…how was it? I have to admit I'm still kind of new to writing, and while I'd like to make Jace and Clary's relationship a little more physical (not like smut or anything) I want to establish the plot a bit more. If anyone has any good writing tips or advice on how I could improve this story, it would be ****greatly**** appreciated. **

**QUESTION: should I include some different POV's? Isabelle? Simon? Church? (the last one I'm seriously considering). Tell me if that's a good idea/horrible idea. Idk. **

**Oh, and btw…**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO**


	6. Chapter 6

**OKAY… SPOILER ALERT FOR CITY OF GLASS!**  
** I**

**I**

**I**

**I **

**V**

**So, for anyone that has been on the mortal instruments blog, there's a few previews and one that is an excerpt…WITH JACE AND A RANDOM CHICK HOOKING UP and CLARY CATCHES THEM. It also mentions a shadow hunter that Clary already thinks is hot, and now I'm completely confuzzled (not an actual word, bear with me). **

**So of course I'm writing this, trying to get in the whole mindset of Clary + Jace = Rainbows, butterflies, and everything good. And instead I have an internal dialogue that goes something like this…**

**Me: WTF. Jace you little bitch! YOU'RE CHEATING ON CLARY! #$%&*!**

**Logic: Um…calm down. They're brother and sister. And she wussed out on him, so he has every right to **

**do whatever-**

**Me: But it's LOVE! **

**Logic: and...?**

**Me: I don't know. He's supposed to not have feelings for anyone else!**

**Logic: What? Where are you coming up with this?**

**Me: Disney? **

**Logic: …**

**Logic: You know it's possible to like more than one person, right?**

**Me: Well…yeah…**

**Logic: And really this makes more sense. No one wants three headed kids.**

**Me: That would suck.**

**Logic: So now it all works out.**

**Me: right.**

**Logic: Well, at least until the new characters turn out to be evil. **

**So yeah, I don't buy it. I think that this is just a bumpy road kinda deal- you know: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and all that jazz. **

**But I'm really hoping since there wasn't a long description that Jace's mystery lover is Sebastian's mom or something. **

**He seems like the type that would end up with a cougar at some point. Highly unlikely, but oh well. **

*********************************END OF SPOILERS!!!!!!*************************************

**So in conclusion this chapter was a pain in the ass to write since I'm ****very**** a little mad at the characters. **

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**FIX YOU: CHAPTER SIX**

Clary jumped out of the bed, her feet tangling in the web of sheets, and rushed into the hall. The stones were cold against her feet, sending echoes throughout the entry, but that didn't matter.

Right now she needed her best friend.

"Clary!" Simon wheezed as she tackled him in a hug. Getting out of bed had been a bad idea- there was a sharp shooting pain that went across her ribs with each panting breath.

She had always been horrible when it came to handling injuries. She had ripped off band-aids as a kid and constantly tried to tear out her stitches when she was five and fell off a bike. She could already hear Jace's footsteps walking across the hall and she knew he was going to be pissed.

"Clary- what's wrong?" Simon asked, concerned, and shook her gently.

She apparently couldn't mask pain very well either. Clary took a moment to catch her breath before responding, trying to make her face smooth and calm. She hated hurting, especially in the institute and now even among Simon. They were all warriors, used to handling pain, or impervious to any real injury. Simon may have had his throat slashed before, but in most circumstances he could effectively fend for himself. So she bit back a scream, trying her hardest not to seem weak.

"I'm fine." she said, giving him another hug. "Why don't we head over to the living room- I'm not supposed to be walking around much…"

Simon nodded and they headed over to the room, where an ancient coffee table was surrounded with antique parlor furniture.

"You know, you could have called first Leech." Jace drawled angrily.

"Jace!" Clary whispered, shooting him her angriest glare. She was about to give him an earful about how _normal_ people treated guests when Simon responded, laughing.

"Sorry, you both had your cell phones off and they don't really list places like this in a phonebook…" he trailed off, waving a hand apologetically.

Clary winced. She knew that it wasn't just a matter of having their phone's turned off- hers was still lying in the back room of _Blush_, smashed beyond working condition, and Jace had mentioned something about throwing his against a wall. Jace must have been thinking the same thing, because he was unusually silent as Simon continued talking.

"So I know I'm going to Irdos-"

"_Idris_," Jace interjected shaking his head.

"Yeah, that. Well I need some type of explanation. Spill." He continued, opting to ignore Jace. Simon wasn't stupid. She could tell from the way his eyes were narrowed with concern that he knew something had, or was happening to her.

"We might as well get Isabelle and tell her too." Clary sighed, rubbing the edge of her temple. Jace nodded and called her, and they waited in silence until she entered the room in a flurry of white lace.

Clary and Jace took turns explaining different parts, while Isabelle and Simon made a good audience, gasping in the right spots. Izzy even cheered when Clary talked about trying to fight back ("Yes! Next time you should aim a little lower though, in the spot between the ribs…"). When she had finished they were both stunned. She had left out any mention of Jace, but included the part about how she might die. She sugar coated the situation, throwing it in at the end of the conversation before Jace jumped in with travel plans. It reminded her of how parents broke bad news to their children, trying to make the bad news seem as trivial as possible, sandwiched between all the other bits of information.

"WHAT?! Clary, why didn't you tell us earlier! I can understand this ass not saying anything but you…" Simon shook his head, "You should have said something, maybe there's something I can do- I'll talk to Raphael…"

"No, no, no. We are not doing that- not unless it's absolutely necessary!" Jace growled, his teeth gritted.

"But what if there isn't time! We might not be able to get back so it can take effect!"

Clary had the distinct feeling she was listening to two people arguing in a foreign language, or at least a really tricky dialect. "Would you care to explain what exactly you're talking about?" Isabelle cut in, obviously just as confused.

The vampire and shadow hunter froze, turning towards them as if they had forgotten there were other people in the room.

"It doesn't matter." Jace snapped testily.

"But if-"

"Maybe-"

"It doesn't matter." Jace repeated with a hard glare.

"She has a right to know her options." Simon growled, for the first time actually looking slightly dangerous. A bit of light reflected off his teeth, making their length and sharpness suddenly very obvious. He seemed to hold himself differently as well- a little taller maybe, with a straighter posture.

"You know that this might save her, you've admitted it yourself." He hissed.

Jace's face remained stony and impassive, showing no emotion. It would take someone who knew him very well to recognize the way he looked, and how it indicated that the gears and cogs were turning in his head, considering each option.

"Not yet." He whispered, lowering his gaze to the floor, "If we mention that now, then we might not take other options as seriously. It'll seem like a way out."

Simon was silent for a moment, then turned to Clary, his expression contemplative.

"What if we changed you into a vampire?"

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_That slimy, idiotic, blood sucking…_

Jace saw only red. The stupid leech was trying to change her. There were other options…

"What?!"

He was shocked to hear Clary's exclamation, and glanced up to see her face, completely horrified.

Understandably Simon looked hurt, the corners of his mouth twitching as if he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how.

This wasn't lost on Clary apparently, as she quickly started to explain, her eyes round with fear that she had hurt her friend. "Not that being a vampire is bad! It's actually pretty awesome, I mean I've never liked sleeping much anyways…" she bit the corner of her lip, the way she always did when she was nervous he noted, "It's just that I've spent my whole life not knowing about this other part of myself, a part that I wouldn't be able to keep if I became a downworlder. I want to at least try to save it…"

Simon shook his head, "It's too great of a risk."

"But it's my risk to take." Clary nearly growled. She had moments like this one, every now and again he noticed, where the shadow hunter in her shone through. It was an edge of fierceness that he loved to see. Maybe that's why he liked making her angry so much.

"Well we need to contact Magnus." He said, hoping to add an end to the discussion. "I have most of our equipment and supplies packed and I've arranged approval from the Clave."

"There's no way you got approval that fast." Isabelle said in disbelief.

"Obtained approval, forged documents, same thing." He shrugged.

"Jace!"

"Well there wasn't any other option. Meet out front in twenty minutes if you still want to help- we need to leave tonight."

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**OKAY, I'VE GOT SOME IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS…**

**SCROLL DOWN A TINY BIT**

**PRESS THE BLUE BUTTON**

**TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT ( ******** OR ******** )**

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	7. Chapter 7

HEY-LOOO!

Well I had a wonderful break, full of family, food, and board games. I hope that you're holidays were just as (if not more) happy, and now that the break is over I'm posting on this again!

I had honestly thought about quitting, but I saw all the wonderful reviews and thought:

"Well quitting now would be a really douche-y move. Suck it up and write."

So THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. For all your support and encouragement.

PS: I wish I owned the mortal instruments. But I don't.

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CLARY POV:

The portal was almost open by the time Clary made her way outside, her favorite green wool travelling cloak wrapped snugly around her shoulders.

"Ugh. What exactly is in this?" Simon groaned from behind her, struggling with Isabelle's suitcase, which his vampire strength was apparently no match for.

"Only the essentials."

Magnus was also hard at work, muttering incantations beneath his breath. The portal itself wasn't quite how she had imagined it though.

In her mind she had pictured something that resembled a black hole, or maybe a mirror- like the broken shard that was still in Jace's room- reflecting an image of Idris.

Instead it was as if a patch of shimmery golden fog had appeared in the middle of the institute's rose garden.

Jace was already there, running one hand through his bristly hair. Secretly she hoped that he would grow it out again, but she would never admit it.

"What took you so long?" Magnus hissed, strain apparent on his face. His glittery eyeshadow had smudged sometime during the process, and his hair, jet black with fluorescent streaks, was damp with sweat. "I don't have all day you know-"

"It's not like I _wanted_ to carry five hundred pounds of luggage down ten flights of stairs!" Simon shouted. Jace shot her a questioning glance and she mouthed 'elevator's broken'.

She didn't miss how he looked at her though, a long sideways glance, just beneath his lashes. The way his hand reached out towards hers, not to hold hands, but just to brush his thumb against her wrist as they stood next to each other.

Was this what she was trying to save? Was this really all they could be? Secret glances and hidden moments, time spent hoping they could avoid friends and family- all the ones they loved unconditionally- just to be together.

Being with him hurt just as much as being away from him, and she was sure that if the demons didn't manage to kill her, her heart would finish the job.

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JACE POV:

"Is everyone ready? I have a first class portal to Idris, one way-trip." Magnus announced.

It was his subtle way of saying: You better be ready. Now jump in the hole so it can dump you out in Shadowhunter territory. Find another warlock for the ride back.

"Ready!" Isabelle shouted, unable to hide her eagerness. Simon and Clary didn't look so sure.

"So we're supposed to jump in _that_?" Simon asked cautiously, "Can't you make it any bigger?"

"I could." Magnus mused, "But not without a large amount of effort. Like the philosopher Jagger says '_you can't always get what you want_.'"

"He also says '_you might find, you get what you need_.'" Simon shot back, his dark eyes flashing dangerously.

"It's damn well big enough." Magnus hissed. "Now do you want to go or not?"

"This discussion is clearly over. Are you coming with us or not?" Jace asked, hoping the mundane- no downworlder, would chicken out.

"Of course I'm coming." He spat out, with all the voracity of a third grader claiming he didn't believe in cooties. Oh well. Maybe they'd manage to lose him somewhere in Idris…

"Ready?" Jace asked, glancing down at Clary. She didn't look scared, but he could tell something was wrong.

"I…" she paused, seeming confused, "have no idea what to do."

"Oh." He was a little taken aback. No matter how long they'd known each other, it still felt as if there would be little things- things that normal shadowhunters would have learned as children- that he automatically expected her to know. Even if it made no sense, and deep down he knew there was no way she could know how to do certain tasks.

"Look," Jace said grabbing her by the hand, "We just jump through."

"That's it?" she asked doubtfully.

"Do you think we need passports? It's not that complicated." He shrugged, taking a few steps back. "You just get a running start," he sprinted forwards a few steps, "then GO." At the last few words he jumped, dragging Clary with him.

There was the familiar swirling sensation- a blur of colors and lights. It was as if they were riding a train at a million miles an hour, a smooth straight tunnel dotted with Christmas lights.

This was better than any ride or rollercoaster. It was faster and longer. With careening turns and dips that could knock someone out of breath.

Somewhere in the dizzying rush of colors, Clary locked her own hand around his in a death-grip, squeezing so hard that the surrounding skin was numb. He was about to say something, not sure if it should be mean or understanding, when he blinked.

As he opened his eyes there were two marble towers, spiraling towards the vast expanse of sky. It was exactly as he remembered it, a sprawling city of marble and stone and glass, with billowing sails and bright green grass. It put any mundane creation to shame, infinitely more beautiful, and in his mind it made things feel right.

There was a sense of joy. Of pride swelling in his chest, threatening to burst like a balloon.

He was finally home.

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CLARY POV:

So this was Idris.

It was picture perfect of course- sickeningly beautiful like everything involving shadow hunters.

The towers and buildings were sparkling spires of marble and glass, colorless against the bright green foliage and clear blue sky.

She wished for a moment that she had time to make a sketch- one with watercolors, or maybe oil paints- to capture the sparkling city on paper.

"We have a few minutes before they arrive." Jace whispered, placing his palms on either side of her face. They were surprisingly smooth- at least compared to the rest of his skin, covered in traces of marks, but not as smooth as his lips. He leaned down to kiss her, moving with a kind of gentle fierceness.

It was pure bliss. Euphoria crowded every edge of her mind, pushing away all her worries of being caught. She responded just as eagerly, their lips no longer fighting for control, but moving in sync with one another.

It was a kind of dance: gasping lips, trailing hands, rapidly beating hearts.

She would have stood on her tiptoes to reach him better, but once again their thoughts were in sync: At some point his hands had floated down, over her face and shoulders, down to rest around her waist. Carefully as possible, he lifted her up so that her feet were a few inches above the ground.

There was a spark, one that had started at her lips and dropped into her stomach. She gasped as his tongue ran across the inside edge of her bottom lip, and the fire threatened to consume her whole.

Screw finding a cure. She'd be content with hiding away somewhere. Just her and him for a few glorious weeks…

"Ah-Ugh!"

They swiftly broke apart as something (Simon) thumped onto the ground, landing in a crouched position. His catlike reflexes might have left him landing gracefully on his feet, but they weren't any match for the luggage that fell on top of him.

"You-" he huffed, shoving the suitcase off of his chest, "have to be kidding me."

"Hey! Careful with that! " Izzy shouted, appearing in the grass with her usual dainty grace.

"How can I be careful when your luggage keeps trying to kill me!" he shouted, looking every inch as fierce as could be expected from Simon.

At that moment all the bright colors of Idris, all of Simon's shouting and Izzy's sarcastic retorts, swirled together.

"Oh." Clary gasped softly, as everything went black.

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	8. Chapter 8

YA'LL ARE AMAZING!

70 comments? Holy peanut-butter batman! That's just WOW. Awesome.

If I could make it to a hundred, I think I might scream. Nonetheless, thank you for all the encouragement and support!

As a thank you, I wrote an extra long chapter…hope you like it!

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FiX YOU: Chapter 8

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CLARY POV:

"CLARY!" Jace, Simon and Izzy rushed over to her as she hit the ground with a thud.

It was completely, blissfully dark for a few moments, then with a dizzying rush she woke to someone shaking her shoulders.

"Jace…Stop shaking…me."

The words came out slow and muddled- her mouth felt completely dry. He must have heard her though, because the shaking stopped and she opened her eyes to see him staring at her with relief.

"Oh thank the angel…" he murmured.

And without thinking he kissed her, full on the mouth, and she responded. It was just as wonderful as always: the sickeningly perfect skin, softer than his arms or back, which held thin scars from half-faded marks; the coppery tang of blood; the warm cotton tee shirt…

Then she remembered.

"Simon! Izzy! Oh, god…"

She wriggled out of Jace's grasp and turned to face them, hot tears already forming at the edges of her eyes. They would reject her completely after this. Simon would be disgusted with her, and Izzy would tell the rest of the Lightwoods…Jace would lose his surrogate family and his home.

And the Clave…

She scrunched up her nose in frustration and bit her lower lip.

They were strict enough to not allow relationships between shadow hunters and mundanes. She seriously doubted they'd be okay with incest.

"Clary…" Jace whispered and she ignored him, screwing up the courage to look at Simon and Izzy. She didn't _want_ to know how they would react, but part of her _needed_ to know…

How strange.

They didn't look angry, or upset. Instead Simon was positively glowing, a triumphant smile on his face, and Izzy looked thoroughly annoyed, both arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Fork it over." Simon said, holding his hand out in front of Izzy. She sighed dramatically and passed him a large wad of cash, looking particularly angry as she turned to Clary and Jace.

"Couldn't you two have waited just _one_ more week?"

Clary glanced back and forth, taking in all that was happening. This hadn't been what she was expecting. This hadn't even been registered as a possibility.

She knew she should be happy that they were okay with it all, but she had never been very good with her temper, and soon her anger boiled over the edge.

"You two," she hissed, gritting her teeth, "made a _betting_ _pool_ for this?!"

"Well, Alec and Magnus were in on it too…" Simon admitted, sounding far too excited for her liking. "I need to call and tell them I won- does Idris have cell phone reception?"

"Like _hell_ you're calling them!" she shouted, then whirled around to face Jace.

"Did you know about this?"

He shook his head.

"No. But I'm honestly not surprised," he shrugged, "We weren't exactly discrete about how we felt."

"And Izzy saw the two of you making out a few days ago." Simon added nonchalantly, his attention focused on texting someone- probably Alec and Magnus to gloat over his win.

"Sorry." Izzy apologized. "We figured that since you weren't telling anyone about it, you didn't want anyone to know."

"And you guys are…_okay_ with this?" Clary asked hesitantly.

"Absolutely." Izzy replied. "It's better this way. Otherwise you and Jace are always brooding about everything. And Magnus and Alec…Well, they know a thing or two about unusual relationships."

Not able to help herself, Clary jumped up and tackled Izzy in a giant hug.

"Ow! Watch the hair!"

Clary couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, Iz."

"What about you?" She asked Simon, knowing he would be honest.

"I don't approve. Mainly because he's your brother and all," he explained waving a hand towards Jace,

"but also because I care about you, and I'm never really going to be a hundred percent okay with anyone you date."

"But we're still friends. I'm not going to judge…Just keep the PDA to a minimum, okay?" he asked, and Clary nodded, completely grateful for how well they were taking the news.

"Oh, and thanks for the three-hundred bucks."

That comment earned him a punch to the chest, not that it would actually _hurt_.

"I told you it would work out." Jace whispered, slipping one of his hands around hers. "Now, we have a meeting with Silus. He has experience with injuries like this." He explained. "One of his servants should be here soon…"

Just as the words left his mouth, there was a shrieking noise. Clary glanced up and tried to keep her jaw from dropping:

There was a shiny bronze carriage soaring towards the clearing, pulled along by two flaming horses with coal bright eyes.

It landed a few feet away, and the horses stamped their feet impatiently, scorching the grass beneath their hooves. Clary wanted nothing more than to keep watching them, with their flickering manes and fiery eyes. She wondered briefly how anyone would handle them without being burned, then remembered that they probably had runes for something like that.

"Blaine!" Izzy rushed forward and hugged the driver- an old man with tanned skin and fireproof gloves.

"Ey' there Izah-beeel." He giggled, and she noticed that there was a bottle of brandy in the hand not holding the reigns.

"Clary, Simon- this is Blaine McCormack. He's been Silus Brand's driver for…well forever."

"Pleased to make yer acquaintance." He said, with a deep bow. "Now I'm running a bit late as it is, so if you all would pile in…" he gestured to the carriage and Izzy went in first, followed by Simon, Jace and finally Clary.

She was actually glad that Simon had come along- it meant that she wasn't the only one completely shocked and flabbergasted by all the new things. Jace and Izzy seemed completely calm- as if they rode in a flying carriage every day.

But then again, they probably had at some point in their lives.

They were rising higher, higher, higher…until there was nothing but a thick cover of clouds. Clary winced and gripped Jace's hand tighter…

Then they stopped. At first Clary thought they were still in the sky- the clouds were still fairly dense- but they were at the edge of a mountain, and in front of them was the most beautiful mansion she had ever seen.

"Welcome to Brand Manor."

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JACE'S POV:

"Welcome to Brand Manor."

Apparently becoming a healer had been a good career choice for Silus. If money was any indicator of success, Jace had high hopes for the chance that he would have of helping to heal Clary.

She still looked awfully pale. Was that normal? Then again she was always fair-skinned…

He tried not to focus on worrying, and instead took in her expression. He could tell she was itching to make a drawing. It was the same expression she wore when she first saw Alicante- eyes bright with excitement, hungrily absorbing every detail. Her hand twitched ever so slightly in his, and she guessed she was thinking of her charcoals, stored away in an art bin somewhere at home.

He would buy her an entire art studio if they made it back alive.

_No. _He gently chided himself_. When we make it back…_

Someplace near the institute, with plenty on sunlight.

"We have arranged a few guest rooms for you," Blaine said, "but I'm afraid the downworlder will have to stay outside…This is a holy place- it was built from the ruins of a church…"

"No," Jace cut in, "He has…a unique blood type. Simon will be fine."

"Really?" Blaine asked, looking at Simon with interest. "Well, I guess that I'll prepare another room then."

Blaine grabbed both of Izzy's extra travelling bags and headed down the gravel walkway, while they followed close behind.

Through the fog a series of gardens and fountains were visible, with several large peacocks wandering about. The mansion itself was golden bronze and white marble, with carved teak and mahogany doors.

As they came closer there were several tea candles placed throughout the garden, flickering hot and bright.

The entrance hall was just as impressive. There were jet black marble floors and a sweeping staircase, fanning out on either side of the room.

"Why Sebastian! I didn't know you were coming back so soon!"

Jace turned towards the hallway, where a tall shadowhunter, about his age, was coming from.

"Well, I finished the job a little sooner than expected." He explained, walking towards their group.

"Hello- It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I'm Sebastian- Silus' apprentice."

"Well, I'm Isabelle Lightwood, and these are a few friends- Simon Lewis, Jace Wayland, and Clarissa Fray." Izzy explained.

"Ah, so _you_ must be Clary." He said thoughtfully. Jace didn't like the way his eyes lingered on her, just a second too long, before turning back to Izzy.

"Well, we have arranged rooms for all of you- I'm sure you must be exhausted." He explained, gesturing for them to follow him, "I'll take it from here. Thank you Blaine."

CLARY POV:

It was hard to keep from staring at Sebastian out of curiosity.

He had long dark hair and eyes that were almost black in color. He looked exactly like a character she had been drawing for some time, only without the black feathered wings dripping in blood that were always part of the pictures.

"So Clarissa- how did you get bitten?" He asked turning towards her.

"Clary." She corrected automatically, more from habit than annoyance before continuing, "I was at a club and found a demon in the back room on accident. I would've put up more of a fight, but I didn't have my stele or any weapons. Luckily Jace found me in the nick of time though."

Jace smiled slightly at the last part, and loosened the death grip on her hand.

"Well I'm sure you would have fought if you could- you seem the type." He mused.

"You're telling me." Simon sighed in agreement. He had been on the receiving end of her temper tantrums one too many times as a kid.

They turned the corner, past a glittering statue of a shadowhunter, sword raised high in preparation for a final blow, and entered another wing of the mansion.

"The rooms are all along the hallway," he said, opening the first door. "This one is yours Clary." He said, holding the door open for her to enter.

It was pale lavender, almost white, with a plain white cot and a wide window. Best of all, the closet was stocked with clothing, real, shadowhunter gear, that all appeared to be in her size.

"I'll show the rest of you your rooms." Sebastian said, closing the door.

Sebastian had been right: She _was_ exhausted, more so than she had even realized, until she passed out on the cot, asleep as soon as her head hit the pillows.

At some point the door creaked and she heard footsteps, soft and agile enough to be recognized as Jace's. She opened one eye.

"I couldn't sleep." He said unapologetically, answering her unspoken question.

She moved over slightly and he slipped in next to her, one arm curled protectively around her waist as they both fell asleep.

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SO…

PLEASE REVIEW!!!


	9. Chapter 9

So….I know I haven't updated in a while. Honestly I'm not sure what to do, because I just read the third book.

It was PERFECT. Seriously, everything I had hoped for and more.

Not to bash Twilight, but I feel that the way the Mortal Instruments series played out, with the plot culminating in the third book, coming together in a way that let you know Clarissa Claire had planned _everything_ out in advance, was what Eclipse and Breaking Dawn were lacking. It was incredibly satisfying to finish the series, knowing that the way that the story ended was planned out from the moment CoA was penned.

THIS IS THE DILEMMA: I'm not sure if I should take this story in the direction that the series went (with all the drama in the third book) or if I should establish a completely separate plot line. I would really appreciate your input, and in the meantime here's a small bit of JC.

**CLARY'S POV:**

The next morning Clary padded into the dining room, where Jace and everyone else had gathered around a large wooden table. Isabelle was shoving a plate of burnt toast towards Jace, Blaine was reading a newspaper outside on the front porch, blissfully unaware of the commotion, and Simon sat sagely to the side, facing the open window. From the look on his face she guessed he was watching animals running around.

Clary wrinkled her nose in worry. When was the last time he had eaten anything? She spun the last few days through her brain, so thoroughly wrapped up in her thoughts that she jumped when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Whoa. Sorry- I didn't mean to scare you." Sebastian explained, rubbing the back of his head with his hand and looking apologetic. Without meaning to, she stared at him. His inky hair and black eyes startled her, and the contrast of his pale white skin (had he ever been outside?) only made his features more striking. She knew that he was familiar somehow, but it didn't make sense. Just looking at him made her brain hurt.

He was a puzzle, wrapped in a rubiks cube, wrapped in a Sudoku square.

"Hey!"

She broke out of her trance with the commotion. Jace had flicked a spoonful of egg into Izzy's hair, and she had launched herself across the table in retaliation. Sebastian stepped forward, but she stuck out an arm in front of him.

"Seriously, just let them work it out. Otherwise Isabelle will be in a bad mood all day, and trust me- _no one_ wants to see that." She explained, answering his unspoken question.

"Okay…" Sebastian replied, not sounding convinced.

She glanced over, checking that neither Jace or Izzy were carrying weapons, then satisfied that they wouldn't _really_ hurt each other, she went to the kitchen. They didn't have a refrigerator, or a microwave, or any type of modern appliance for that matter. There was a loaf of bread on the counter though, so she tore off a piece and sat on the counter, her legs dangling over the edge. Jace sauntered in a few minutes later.

He looked so different now, with his half smirking-smile and shining eyes, as opposed to the angry, frustrated boy she had met in Pandemonium.

"Enjoying the view?" he asked cockily, jumping onto the counter and sitting next to her.

Okay. So maybe he wasn't that different. He was still arrogant as hell. And he was still impossibly frustrating at times. _And_ he still was perpetually handsome, so much so that she was often tempted to scope out his bathroom cabinet and find out _exactly_ what hair products he used.

But that was besides the point. And knowing him, looking perfect was probably au natural.

"Yeah. Actually I am." She replied, kissing his cheek and jumping down from the ledge.

She left the kitchen, hearing a small popping sound as she exited.

Either someone uncorked a bottle of champagne,

Or Jace's ego had finally exploded.


End file.
